We all know the importance of good oral hygiene. It not only is cosmetically pleasing, but it correlates highly with good overall health. Brushing and flossing daily, along with annual visits to your dentist help to keep your chompers in good condition. Did you know, however, that even though you are doing these right things for your mouth that maybe you have a habit that is working against your pearly whites? Yes, there are some habits that can basically ruin your teeth. We have them listed below:

• Do you chew on ice? This is a habit that many people have and can be hard to break. But, chewing ice can cause some major problems. You can easily crack or chip a tooth, which can be costly to repair.

• Do you grind your teeth? A lot of people grind their teeth due to stress and during their sleep. You can crack your teeth by grinding them too much. The solution is to wear and mouth guard at night and during the day to become aware of the teeth grinding.

• Do you enjoy sugary foods? Some people have a sweet tooth and consume a lot of candy, ice cream, and soda. Gummy candies stick to your enamel which can promote cavities. Soda has not only a bunch of sugar, it also has citric acids which corrode your tooth’s enamel.

• Do you tend to open things with your teeth? Packaged foods, bottle tops, and plastic packaging can be tempting to use your chompers to open. But, do not do this. Use scissors and bottle openers to do these tasks instead.

• Do you chew the end of your pencil? This is just as bad as chewing ice. A tooth can easily crack.

• Do you smoke? Smoking can lead to gum disease and stains your teeth, along with many other health risks.

The bottom line is, take care of your teeth and try to break bad habits. Your mouth and overall health will thank you for it. If you are searching for a physician in the southwest Florida area, go to IPALC.org to conduct your free search.